PAGANICONS

An undisputed classic of LA punk, this sits as one of the first post hardcore records, and the start for one of the few bands to end up melding prog and punk. Saccharine Trust went for a rough, dark take on hardcore, much like what Flipper and Rites of Spring would eventually do to equally great effect, but ST also went for complex arrangements indebted to prog, which would only otherwise be matched by Greg Ginn's guitar work on Black Flag albums from "My War" on. Through the haze of the raw, cheap production rises a dour, angry pack of guitar, bass and drums, played proto-math, as Joaquin Brewer lays out his truth. Much like krautrock klassic "German Oak", the tinny production only adds to the effect of the jagged, crazed, pitch dark playing. Like Wire on "Pink Flag", the band almost always plays short bursts of experimental energy, their unique style getting thrown at an unsuspecting world in bite sized pieces. Everyone plays their part well, and we are left with a masterpiece of doubly experimental punk. There is a reason this launched the rest of post hardcore, the '80's half of post punk, Cardiacs, and the first emo, and it is the same reason this has long been a favourite of punks, music aficionados, and even Kurt Cobain: this is experimental, one of a kind, and excellent. Highly recommended to punks, pronk fans, and the adventurous.